Review: Colour Of Noise – 'Colour Of Noise'

I managed to catch the guys backing up The Dead Daisies, and I was thoroughly impressed. They may be a new band, but with the likes of Bruce John Dickinson, Matt Mitchell, and Randy Nixon we have no newcomers, that’s for sure, and it shows. The first thing that struck me was the solid sound of the album, even though the guys have gone ‘old school’ with vintage equipment and that 70’s recording style. This takes nothing away from the album (or the live setting), if anything, with the songs on here, it compliments it brilliantly.

From the opening bars of  “Can You Hear Me?” you can hear the class on display. This is from years of knowledge in action, and it definitely sounds like this is completely driven by the band, without exterior influences. There is no set formula that I could fathom. There was no, each song must sound the same vibe… in fact it is completely the opposite.

There are completely different sounds from the likes of the G’n’R-esque “Drive It Like You Stole It”, to the immense “Medicine Man”. Each track has something new to offer. The only steady theme was the solid rhythm section and the fuzzy guitars. Singer, Matt’s voice is varied and lifts from the depths to its perfect heights.

There is also no ring-rustiness from Bruce, who to be honest, has been a musical recluse for many a year. He still has the gift of carrying a song, and knowing his way around a fretboard, that he did all those years ago, when he burst onto the scene as a youngster with Little Angels. A band that for me died way to early, but I will keep the tears in, suck it up, and get on with this review (blubber blubber).

First warning for any Little Angels fans buying this expecting a mark two, forget it. The sound is completely different. I heard a few guitar pieces that made me smile and do a Scooby Doo moment into the past, but these were few and far between. Was I disappointed? Not in the slightest. It is just good to see the man strap that battered old guitar back on, surround himself with like-minded people, and produce some ass-kicking, classic rock gems.

Buy the album, enjoy the vibe, then make sure you keep your eyes peeled for the upcoming tour announcement, as this band is a live band first and foremost. They also hark back to older days when you released an album so you could tour, not tour so you can afford to do an album like nowadays. I hope this band is here to stay, as this debut is a perfect building block to kick off from. I have huge expectations for Colour Of Noise, and hope to see them on tour next year, and every year thereafter. I want to see them grow together, I want to see them on a bigger stage and I want them to make music for many, many years to come.

Review: Ritchie Birnie